Folding Bikes - IF Mode starts sales in US.

I just got an email from Areaware, the Strida distributor in the US, soliciting orders for the IF Mode. Looks like availability in June this year. Not cheap, though at $2250, but you get 32lbs worth of bike. Here's a clipped portion of their email:

"IF-Mode: An Engineering and Design Masterpiece
The IF-Mode, by acclaimed industrial designer Mark Sanders, is now available for purchase in the USA. Winner of the 2008 Eurobike Award, and the 2009 iF Gold Award (along with the Apple iPhone, the Macbook Air and the VW Golf Mk6), the IF-Mode is a rolling, folding work of art and a bike collector’s dream machine.

Production is limited. Orders received by Friday, May 1st will be delivered in June 2009. Orders placed after May 1st will not be available until summer’s end. Be the first to own the world’s most exciting and technically advanced folding bike.

Go to www.areaware.com/mode for more information or to place an order, or call 800-783-5683, ext. 214.

Mark Sander's Design Brief:
Most people prefer large wheeled bikes, in part due to ease of pedaling. So when I designed the IF-Mode, I thought about combining the benefits of small folders with full size bicycles, keeping in mind the innovation and value people expect from their personal tools. The IF Mode combines large wheels, ease of near instant folding, compactness, and clean design. Like luggage, it rolls anywhere. Its monoblade wheel mountings, enclosed transmission and uncluttered aesthetic offer a radical new image of what a bicycle can be."

Clean? Where are the mudguards?

I am not gonna say nuttin about the bicycle experts who are selling gorilla ashtrays or vases which look like my old garden boots.... ..

what I am intresting is this :

quote:
Production is limited. Orders received by Friday, May 1st will be delivered in June 2009. Orders placed after May 1st will not be available until summer’s end.
quote end

Doesnt that mean that they will only ORDER the bikes which are paid ?......

Meaning they will only have enough by end of june as being paid by may 1st .... That makes me crinch .... how about having enough balls to order and pay some to have for your customers when they want them ..if you like a product and stand behind it than you also need to pay the piper and order a few bikes on your own .... instead of this non commital tude...


thor

p.s. nice bike by the way

It's not a bike company selling this bike so I wouldn't expect the typical sales/inventory model of your LBS. It is a nice bike, though, and priced $250 under what had been projected to be the retail price just a few months ago. Still way out of my budget nonetheless.

p.s. nice bike by the way

I would say it's a nice looking bike. Remains to be ridden before we conclude it's a nice bike. ;)

Mark Sander's Design Brief:
Most people prefer large wheeled bikes, in part due to ease of pedaling. So when I designed the IF-Mode, I thought about combining the benefits of small folders with full size bicycles, keeping in mind the innovation and value people expect from their personal tools. The IF Mode combines large wheels, ease of near instant folding, compactness, and clean design. Like luggage, it rolls anywhere. Its monoblade wheel mountings, enclosed transmission and uncluttered aesthetic offer a radical new image of what a bicycle can be."



I am not sure I am ready to drop US$2500+ for this design. It seems to be the combined problems of small folders with the problems of full sized bikes. But that might be just me...

+1 to all of the above

BTW, it looks like the IF Reach is now shipping via normal distribution channels (http://www.alternativevehicles.com/).

Kudos to Larry over at www.ridethisbike.com (http://www.ridethisbike.com) for putting his money where his mouth is on the IF Mode. :thumb:

This is an awsome looking and folding bike, I love the videos and there is more info on MAS's gallery (http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/MAS.DPL). If I had the cash i'd have one to put on the wall - (along with a Biomega MN2).

The IF Urban (was cross) will probably be much less $$$ and more of a 'full sized road bike that folds', so it will be the one I'll go for, when its out. All these bikes have top pedigree as they are made by Pacific (http://www.pacific-cycles.com/), who make many of the top folding bikes (Airnimal, Birdy, etc. ) as well as several high end mountain bikes. So expect to see plenty of future IF variations and developments.

$2250 for a 32 POUND bicycle???

So it's 32 pounds. Where's the surprise? It's a full-sized folding bike. So it weighs more and costs more. If it's too heavy or too expensive for your tastes, you can always move on.